Iola High Schools forensics team has gotten off to a flying start in 2019.
The competitive acting and speaking troupe has brought home first place overall in two of the three meets in which it has competed.
On Jan. 26, the IHS squad took home first place in the team sweeps, as well as for its one-act performance at the Neodesha Invitational.
Individually, Parker Smith finished first in oral interpretation of prose, Jake Andersen was first in oral interpretation of poetry and Haley Carlin and Josie Plumlee finished first and third, respectively, in humorous solo acting. Lexie Vega and River Hess took home the top spot in improvised duet acting, followed by Sadrie Overall and Carlin in second and Bobby Lewis and Jon Poffenbarger in sixth.
The Vega-Hess combo also was top in duet acting, followed by Lewis and Henry Lohman in third and Eve Ard and Austin Morris in sixth.
Isabella Duke finished third and Katie Weide fourth in serious solo acting. Duke finished fourth and Spencer Ames seventh in informative speech. Sadie Maple brought home fifth in extemporaneous speaking.
THE IOLA squad traveled to Marmaton Valleys invitational Feb. 9, again nabbing first place in team sweeps.
Andersen took first in oral interpretation of poetry, Plumlee first in solo acting and Duke in first in serious solo acting, followed by Elanie Sturgeon in fourth.
Vega and Hess added to their gold collection by wining first in duet acting, followed by Lewis and Lohman in second, Gaby Lampe and Overall in fourth and Ard and Morris in sixth.
Lampe won first place in impromptu speaking, Duke and Allie Fager finished first and third, respectively, in oration.
Vega and Hess took second in improvised duet acting, followed by Andersen and Morris in fourth.
Andrew Quinn was third and Alex Yarnell sixth in informative speaking.
THE SQUAD also competed Feb. 11 in Burlington.
